The Final Fantasy Pt. 2

"What kind was it?"

"I can't even remember it's been so long."

Cid folded his menu closed and so did Cloud. The waiter watched and then came over. "What may I get you?"

"We'll have two steaks with potatoes. Put lots of cream on mine and bring a bottle of red wine."

"Any particular vintage, sir?"

"Nothing special but not your cheapest."

"Very well sir, I'll be back with your wine in a moment."

"Good, thank you."

The waiter left to the kitchen and returned with their wine and some glasses. He opened the bottle and poured theirs drinks and then left.

Cloud took a sip and then another. The wine wasn't bad but he preferred cold ale with a foamy head. "So… Seventh Heaven will show me where the fights are held?"

"No… Seventh Heaven controls the fights held. It's a really small bar but it has the best fighters and most importantly they pay good. At least while I went their, they paid well." Cid took a big sip of his wine and then said, "The money is for when you get out of here?"

"Actually, I wanted to buy some Materia…good Materia."

"Oh, good Materia, huh? Hmm. What do you want that for?"

"For protection… a means to get out of here. The Shinra just doesn't open the doors to this place, you know?"

Cid made a flippant gesture with his brow and said, "I've noticed."

"Besides, I would like to own a piece to put in my sword, Buster."

Cid eyed the weapon. "What does that thing weigh?"

"Not much for it's size. I've gotten used to it; it doesn't bother me at all."

The sword was grossly out of proportion, Cid noticed. Its size challenged its owner's own height! Light from the dinner car shone off the brilliant metal of the blade.

"Have you ever…had to use it?"

"Well… I have. While I was with Soldier, on a few occasions, I broke up some riots. People are ferocious when they're in a mob. Some are fearless, especially, if they have a weapon."

Cid displayed a shadow of discontentment and said, "Do you know what type of Materia you'll get?"

"I have my eye on some very strong Electrical Materia." Cloud reminisced on the Electrical Materia's glow, the feel of the heat emanating into his hand. Energy pulsed from the glowing jewel like substance. "It was good."

Cid realized Cloud was in a daze and left him so until the food arrived.

"Here you go gentlemen." The waiter left the food on the table and then said, "Is everything to your liking?"

Cid answered, "Yes, everything is fine, thank you."

"Very well, enjoy your meal." The waiter walked away and left the two men to their meals.

Cloud noticed the meat was a better sort than what he was accustomed too. He ate the potatoes first and then finished his steak dinner. Lastly, he scooped the remaining gravy with the dinner rolls that the waiter had brought out with their steaks. Cid was still eating his food while Cloud was finishing off his.

"Fine food, hmm?" Cid asked.

"Very good, Cid. Thank you. I don't remember the last time someone treated me to a meal without wanting something in return."

Cid devilishly grinned. "I do want something."

Cloud had a roll sopped with gravy just below his open mouth and held it there and looked up to Cid, waiting for an explanation. His heart slowed with dread and his hopes that he had made a friend started to diminish.

After collecting Cloud's attention, Cid continued. "Remember, I want you to find a way out and then come and get me out of here." Cid smiled a child's smile.

Cloud was relieved. He finished his roll and sat back in his chair. "I'm glad that that's what you meant."

"I know. This is a hard world and people usually don't do things for free bus some still do, remember that, ok?"

Cloud shook his head.

"If I'm going to get out of here, I'll need your help. Tell me all you know about the fighter's I'm going to be up against."

Cid's brow wrinkled and he shuffled in his seat, scooting up to the table. "I told you. It's been a long time since I've fought. I don't know the fighter's that are there now but if Barret is still there you'll have to watch out for him."

Cloud waved a hand and said, "I've handled big guys before. I've even handled men bigger than you…"

"I'm not talking about runts like me!" Cid drew his face over the table in all seriousness. "Barret is a big man!" The man weighs somewhere around three hundred pounds and I'm not talking about fat either."

"How tall is he then?" Cloud looked more interested in what Cid had to say.

"I don't know exactly, almost seven feet."

Cloud swallowed. "The bigger they are the harder they fall."

Cid shook his head and said, "Just make sure he doesn't fall on you or that's it!"

Cloud tried to laugh but it didn't come out the way he wanted. He shook of the fear not long after. "Does he have any moves?"

"His main strength is his strength but his punches are mostly sloppy but that's when I fought him. He might have had training; I don't know."

Cid and Cloud continued to discuss things, swapping history about each other. They shared some laughs and worries but mostly Cid talked in that area. Cloud mostly listened to his older newfound friend.

A considerable amount of time passed and the train reached Sector Six.

Cid collected his things, paid for the meal, and stood up before saying goodbye. "I suppose this is it."

Cloud didn't show any emotion but he wished that he and Cid could still talk.

"When you get on the outside you know where you can find me."

"I do."

"I wish you much luck young man, you'll need it."

Cid turned around and walked down the car's length and left. Cloud felt utterly alone. For now, his closest companion was Buster.

When the train started up again, Cloud left the Café portion of the train and found a lonely seat in which to ride out the rest of the trip. For a while Cloud slept until he was interrupted with the trains abrupt halt. Alarms blazed from hidden speakers in the train overhead compartment. Red and blue lights flashed and circled. People panicked and some women shouted in confusion.

Cloud grabbed the hilt of his sword and frantically looked about. He stood up, still his hands clutched onto Buster, and he tried to open the door to the next compartment but it was locked.

A passenger, a young man, tried to help Cloud push the door open but it was securely sealed. Next they tried the windows but they weren't glass but rather a much tougher substance.

"Let's try the other door," said the young man.

He and Cloud pushed and pulled but no amount of effort prevailed. After Cloud meditated on the predicament enough, he quietly sat down.

"What are you doing?" Asked the young shocked man.

"We'll have to wait; we can't use force. What else can we do?"

The young man pondered and then sat down next to Cloud. "My name is Chris."

Cloud shook his hand but the two made no other conversation.

Most of the passengers had settled down and talked about speculations when the door opened and Soldiers entered.

A soldier with higher rank stepped out in front of the others and said, "We're sorry that you were detained but it was for a good reason. The conductor said he thought he recognized a man from the terrorist group Avalanche in car no. 1 but he was mistaken. The train will shortly resume its procession."

The passengers began to settle down and Cloud made his way to his previous seat. The young man stood seated for a while longer and then made his way to the seat in front of Cloud.

"What do you think of that Avalanche?"

Cloud didn't feel like having a conversation but he said, "I don't know much about them except the Midgar Government hates them."

"Yeah, but because Avalanche is disrupting a lot of government agencies. Avalanche has been trying to get the president to give more freedom to the private sector, by force that is."

"Hmm." Cloud turned his head to look out the window not particularly looking at anything specific. People were walking along the streets, not quickly but sluggishly.

"Anyhow, as long as they don't hurt any innocents, I wouldn't need to be persuaded in thinking that Avalanche is a good group."

"I thought I heard on an informant program that Avalanche terrorist group that robbed people to grow stronger."

The young man made a face of abhorrence and said, "You don't believe those informant shows do you! If you'd look at some of the papers Avalanche distributes it'd open your eyes!"

Cloud squinted his eyes in suspicion and faintly smiled at the young man who had turned completely around in his chair. "Are you a part of Avalanche. You should be an Ambassador between your group and Shinra." Cloud made a low laugh.

The young man looked scared. "Hey! Don't say that! Don't you know that I could get jailed just for being accused of having part with Avalanche?"

"I was just kidding."

"Well, don't! As we speak, there's a new law that'll probably take effect real soon. The law will make reading Avalanche's paper and any other type of communication with negative views on the government illegal."

"I don't have to worry about any of that."

The young man looked hopelessly at Cloud. "Don't you care or aren't you interested in what's going on around you?"

A flash of anger swept through Cloud's chest. He stared ferociously at the young man and said, "I don't care one bit. Now turn around."

The young man almost cried out in fear but he didn't. Instead, he turned around and looked out the window, still wide eyed with disbelief.

Cloud exhaled his anger and suddenly he felt tired. He massaged his temples with his fingers and that eventually lulled him to sleep. Cloud was so tired that the pull of the train didn't waken him. Not long after resuming the trip the train halted in Sector Seven. The conductor hollered for the new passengers to get on and that's when Cloud awoke.

He scurried off the train and onto the grimy pavement of Train Station Sector Seven. The whistle to the train blew and there were a few people making their farewells, probably to what were relatives leaving for other sectors for some purpose or other.

The time was past dusk and Cloud could see the moon beginning to rise in the night's sky. He drearily shuffled off to find a place to sleep. No use in searching for Seventh Heaven then. Things could wait for tomorrow when he'd be alert with the morning's energy.

First thing was first, Cloud needed to find a place to sleep. Leaving the station Cloud had the choice to go up or down the main St. the station was alongside of. Cloud decided on taking the low road and began walking that way. He walked for half an hour and came across homes and only homes. There wasn't a single place for rent. Cloud thought that maybe he should stop and try taking the opposite direction but he continued for a while longer until he could see some bright lights in the dark distance. Hopefully, it was a motel but maybe it was just a restaurant. The building was tall, maybe three stories high; Cloud couldn't tell. He continued to walk but a little faster than before.

Eventually he reached the building. There were old Christmas lights decorated at different places all along the walls and windows of the ageing establishment. Many of the bulbs were burned out but most remained. Cloud supposition was correct; the building was three stories high but at the top most floor lay nothing more than a small shack-like construction. From the outside a wooden stairway could be use to travel to the third floor.

The front entrance had no door and some of the planks needed to be re-nailed to the founding boards. Cloud could hear the barks of far off dogs. From inside the establishment came an aroma of food, beef. There was no hunger in Cloud's stomach but he entered anyhow. Cloud turned his back to the short string of humble businesses that surrounded the three-story eatery.

Inside, groups of people were eating meals talking together. There was a small collection of young men and women dancing in one corner. To the right and to the left of the entrance of the eatery were caged rooms. In the left caged room were weapons of different sorts, guns, knives, swords, and gauntlets with spikes protruding from the knuckles. To the right of the entrance in the caged room were what looked like foodstuffs. Inside both caged rooms were their merchants, eyeing Cloud as a potential buyer.

A large burly man walked up to Cloud coming from what seemed out of nowhere said, "Where do you come from and to where do you go?"

Cloud looked at the man and squinted. "Who are you?"

"I'm the caretaker here and I've never seen you around? Do you work for Shinra?"

"No."

The stout man pointed at Buster and said, "That's a Shinra sword!"

Cloud turned his head away in anger and appeared to be looking behind himself. "I was a soldier."

"Get out of here soldier!"

Everyone in the place stopped what they were doing and concentrated on the Burly man and Cloud. Then dancers had stopped in mid step and gawked.

"What are you coming over here for, Shinra dog?" The man leaned over Cloud.

"I'm no dog!"

"You're right. Shinra is worst than a dog!"

Some of the customers left while others huddled closer to watch a fight in progress.

"I'm not Shinra but like you said. I carry a Shinra sword." Cloud unsheathed Buster.

A bolt of fear shot through the stout man but the grunts and calls of the customers moved him on. "A cowards move!"

Cloud pitched his sword a few feet away from where he stood. The blade stabbed the wood floor while the hilt stood upright toward the ceiling. "Come get me."

The stout man charged with his hands in a grabbing motion toward Cloud. Cloud whisked to his right and punched the man in the gut. The man fumbled a few more steps and regained composure. The hit had dented him but a bit. "Like a girl, you hit like a girl."

"Yes? At least I hit, though."

At intervals the crowd slightly let out laughs, the few that were brave enough.

"Not for long!" The stout man moved toward Cloud and started swinging. First he swung with his left arm in a wide arch and then his right. Cloud backed away from both. Again, the man swung his left arm at Cloud. Cloud spun and with the back of his heavy boot he slammed into the man's meaty elbow.

"Pop." The man cradled his elbow into his free palm and slightly leaned over it in protection. He was wincing and on the verge of yelling out."

"Do I show mercy?" Cloud was close to laughter, standing in his unnecessary fighter's stance. The crowd was quiet, not one of them made a response. The stout man looked grimly at Cloud as if to say, "I take it back, you're not a dog!"

"Cloud took two large steps and then spun around. The man braced himself for the impact just in time to feel the heavy blow to the middle of his stomach. All the air in his lugs emptied and he noticed that he was on the floor. At first there was no pain but then it all came flooding at once.

Cloud actually let a laugh escape his mouth. "Do I continue?" The stout man, who wasn't feeling so stout anymore, shut his eyes and waited for another pummel.

"He's had enough, he's learned his lesson, son." An old man was speaking.

Cloud saw the sincerity in the man's eyes and he calmed down. "I think you're right but I'll have one more for the road I think." He brought his right fist up to the air above his head and drove it down toward the man's face. He hit the wood floor just to the right of the jaw. "You listen! Listen good because I'm not going to repeat myself!"

The man shook his head wildly and waited for the question with horror.

"Where is a bar named Seventh Heaven?"

The man's eyes popped open and lay incredulously on the floor as if he were a corpse.

Cloud lifted his fist into the air again and said, "Well!"

"It's next door." The man's pupils moved upward towards the door. "Across the street I mean."

"Are you playing with me?" Cloud's fist was shaking.

"He's not playing, you can look for yourself." The old man was pointing to the doorway.

Cloud stood up and walked to the post, while doing so he grabbed Buster, and looked at the bar across the street. A sign read: Seventh Heaven. There were a bunch of stragglers at the front standing about acting abjectly.

Cloud felt like kicking himself. His sleepiness and the bright glare of the eatery drowned out any notice of the surrounding businesses.

Cloud had been staring at the bar for while when one of the youngsters who had been dancing said, "Are you here for the fights?"

Cloud turned. He could see some of the others looking at the young man condescendingly.

"I am. Is Barret still fighting?"

The others gave even angrier looks at the young man. He then asked, "You're not with Shinra, right?"

"I'm not."

Something about Cloud gave the young man no reason to keep his secret. "There're fights and yes, Barret is still there. He's the best so I'd be careful if I were you."

Cloud turned back to look at the bar. "It's late; where's there a place where I can stay?"

"There's a place down a bit called Cisco's."

"What's upstairs?"

"Beds." The stout man managed his way to his knees. "Why didn't you tell me you were a fighter?"

"You would've hassled me then too."

"Ah! How long are you staying?" The old man helped the stout man up. "Thanks Joe." The stout man turned to Cloud. "I'll give you a room but you have to pay upfront. You'll lose the rest of your money in the fights tomorrow after Barret pounds you to mush."

"What's so great about Barret besides his size? I beat you."

"The stout man thought for a bit. I'm not a fighter! You want your room or not?"

"How much each day?"

"For you, fifteen gil. The beds are not much and there's no privacy, just a whole lot of beds in a small room. You still want it?"

"At least for tonight." Cloud gave the man the gil and put 240 back in his pocket.

"I'll show you your bed. By the way, my name is Milo."

"Do you see Barret fight much?"

"All the time, nobody around here watches the monitor for entertainment so the fights and the bars are about all we keep busy with."

"That sounds really great," said Cloud sarcastically.

The two men walked up some steps to the second and third floors. They passed the second floor and got to the third where the small shack-like structure lay and Milo opened the door. "Here you go."

Cloud walked in and looked around the tiny room and picked out one of the beds out of half a dozen. Two were occupied with snoring patrons but the rest were free.

"You can get eat in the morning. As long as there's someone downstairs there's someone to serve you." Milo laughed then said, "Good luck you'll need it." Afterwards Milo shut the door.

Luck, I make my luck. Barret will be easy money. After the money, I'll get the Materia and supplies and get out of this swamp! Out of Midgar and travel. Whenever I need money I'll fight in a competition. Whenever I get tired, I settle somewhere nice. Somewhere where I can be alone with my thoughts. Somewhere where nobody can reach me. I won't have to see other people's problems and mistakes.

The sleep took Cloud far away to a tall building that reached the vast firmament. The sky was darkening with violet and light maroon. Strands of charcoal colored clouds slowly drifted in the calming winds. Cloud was standing on top of the tall building on the roof. There was another man far off at the other end of the building. He was a tall slender man all dressed in black. He was walking towards Cloud. The man was wearing a black and gold robe and the garment swept in the air. He had long gray hair that reached down past his shoulders but the man didn't appear to be old. The man started to walk faster towards Cloud so that now he could distinguish him more clearly. Something about the way the man was approaching him made Cloud worry. The man's legs started to stretch more and more until he was running right toward Cloud. The man's arms were pumping furiously like a train's engine and the man was still coming. Cloud moved to grab his sword but his own movements seemed lazy and weak. Lifting his arm was tiring and excruciating while the man's movements were animalistic and powerful. Cloud could distinguish the man's countenance and they weren't pleasant features. Dust from the roof smoked at either side of the man's blurry feet. The man's hand shot upwards and to his back and then pulled on a hilt that Cloud hadn't noticed. The blade was dark and slender and even longer than Cloud's Buster. Cloud finally reached his sword and began to sluggishly pull it out to fight back the monster that would be attacking him at any moment. The dust from the man's boots left a thick trail behind him and he lifted his dark saber in the air. Cloud brought out his blade in front of him just as the man's blade crashed down on Buster. Terrible sparks burned and flew from the crash and the man's saber was burying into Cloud's sword, it was halfway through. The man pounded his strength and weight on Cloud until Cloud failed to his knees. A sinister glare appeared in the man's eyes and he began to laugh horribly so that Cloud was able, for the first time in his life, to see true evil. Buster snapped.